Somebody Out There
by just-another-fan-account
Summary: Tenten had never had much luck with men. Now, at twenty years of age, she is left wondering if there really was someone out there for her, or if she is destined to be alone for the rest of her life. {A NejiTen College AU}
1. Chapter 1

"_Somebody Out There"_

_A Rocket to the Moon_

* * *

"Ugh! Why does this keep happening to me?" Tenten groaned, slamming her head against the table. The mugs rattled, threatening to topple over and spill the coffee within. Her friends stared at her with blank expressions, not the least bit surprised by her outburst. It was the third time this month that Tenten had been dumped by someone, and she was getting sick of it.

"That jerk didn't deserve you anyway, Tenten." Her friend Sakura Haruno said with a consoling pat to her shoulder. "You can do much better than him."

"Yeah," Ino Yamanaka added. "He stood you up on two dates and didn't even have the audacity to call and apologise. You shouldn't mope around because of someone like him."

"I'm not _moping_ and especially not over him." Tenten retorted. "It's just… you both have steady boyfriends already. Hell, even _Hinata _is dating, and we all know how nervous she gets around guys." She groaned, banging her head on the table again. "Why can't _I _find someone? Am I really that undesirable?"

Her two friends gave each other sad look over her head, not knowing what they should say to her. The four of them—Hinata included—had grown up together, having been in the same school until graduation, and now the same college. They had been inseparable their whole lives, but Tenten had always been a bit different to the rest of them. Sakura and Ino possessed that charismatic beauty that seemed to attract everyone around them, and Hinata was the cute, innocent type that guys couldn't seem to resist. Tenten, however, had been a tomboy for most of her life. She had participated in sports throughout middle and high school, never really making an effort when it came to her looks. She always had plenty of male friends, but none that seemed to view her as a woman. At first, Tenten didn't mind; she didn't have the time or the desire to date in high school. But she was twenty years old now, halfway through college, and she had never even had a proper boyfriend. She had gone on a few blind dates, but they never seemed to turn out well. She was headstrong and didn't like it when men looked down on her because she was a woman, which they seemed to do _a lot._

"Why don't you come to the party that Naruto is throwing tonight?" Sakura suggested with a smile. "You might find someone nice there."

The brunette shook her head, her face shifting into a look of disgust. "No, thank you. I refuse to go to a party to meet someone. They're all looking for a hook-up, not a relationship."

Ino rolled her eyes at her stubborn friend. _And she thinks _we're _difficult to deal with, _the blonde thought dryly. "Fine, but you should still come along anyway. Let your hair down, forget about your worries and just have a good time for once. Stop being such a stick in the mud."

It took a lot of willpower for Tenten to resist the urge to groan again. She hated parties. They were full of hormonal young adults whose sole purpose was to get drunk and have sex. But then again, Tenten had been so busy with her assignments for so long that even she was worried about her sanity. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad thing to go, to let loose for once? It wasn't like she was _obliged _to talk to any of the guys there.

"Fine!" She finally gave in and her friends expressed their excitement that she had decided to tag along. Tenten tried to share their enthusiasm, but it wasn't convincing. Even though she had decided to enjoy a night out for once, she would much rather spend the evening in her dorm, wearing an oversized jumper, sweatpants and watching re-runs of her favourite television show.

"C'mon," Tenten mumbled, her chair squeaking as she pushed it back to stand up. "Let's go. I've got a class starting soon."

Tenten was the first to the door, the girls close behind her as they chatted enthusiastically about what they would wear that evening. She didn't notice the person opening the door to enter the café at the same time she was exiting, and ended up smacking right into a hard chest, letting out a grunt of surprise. She skittered away from the body, an apology on her lips. In her rush, Tenten tripped over her own feet and began to fall backwards. A hand whipped out and grabbed her around the waist, effectively stopping what would have been an incredibly embarrassing moment for her.

The mysterious arm helped her stand upright and Tenten glanced at their face, the chance to see who her saviour was overpowering the desire to hide her flushed cheeks. She had to hold in a gasp at the sight that greeted her, her eyes turning into wide saucers at the sight of him. He was the most beautiful man Tenten had ever seen.

"T-thank you." She realized too late that she had been staring at the man, and she took a step back, her cheeks reddening even more.

The man was staring back at her, his pale lavender eyes bright with amusement. "You're welcome." Even his voice was smooth, and Tenten had to stop herself from swooning in front of him. He had long, black hair tied loosely behind his back and, although Tenten usually didn't like men with long hair, she found that it suited him.

"Neji, what's keeping you? Let's go in already." A head poked around the man's shoulder, his astonishingly bushy eyebrows creasing in confusion. "Hello." He smiled at seeing what was holding up his friend, giving the girls a friendly wave_._

Tenten finally managed to move out of the boys' way, allowing them to enter the café. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest, unused to feeling this awkward around men. She stole a glance at the man—Neji, his friend had called him—from the corner of her eye and noticed that he was still watching her, eyebrows drawn as if in thought.

"We should really be going," Ino piped up from behind Tenten, her voice an octave higher than usual. "Or you'll be late for your class." Her two friends exchanged knowing looks behind her back and grinned. "Hey Lee," Ino greeted the man next to Neji with a smile. "Will you be at Naruto's party tonight?"

"Yes, of course!" Lee replied enthusiastically, and Tenten's first thought was that he must be a handful to hang around. "I was just trying to persuade Neji to go with me, but he keeps refusing."

Sakura grinned, slinging an arm around Tenten's shoulder as she gave the men a sly look. "We'll be there. Gotta wind down after an exhausting week, right?" She sent Neji a wink before giving Tenten's shoulder a nudge. "Someone has a class to get to, so we need to go. We might see you tonight." She gave her friend another nudge, moving her towards the door.

The three girls exited the café, two of them grinning with anticipation while the other stole one last glance behind her. She sighed and turned back around, hanging her head with a pout.

"What's wrong this time, Tenten?" Sakura asked, her hand touching her friend's arm comfortingly.

She lifted her head to look at Sakura, pout deepening. "I didn't get his number." She replied, as if she would have been brave enough to do so even if she did have the opportunity.

Ino laughed and hooked her arm through the brunette's. "Don't worry Tenten. I'm sure you'll see him again soon."

* * *

**This was going to be a one-shot based on the song mentioned at the outset. However, I've left the ending open, and if there is enough interest in another part of the story, I will make it a two-shot. So if you like it, please let me know. :3**

**Thank you for reading.**


	2. Chapter 2

Neji knew his bushy browed friend was dying to ask. The fact that he was practically bouncing in the line to get coffee next to him was the biggest giveaway, and Neji knew he wouldn't be ignored. He let out a resigned sigh, taking a step closer as the latest person at the checkout finished having their order taken. "Go ahead and ask, Lee, before you explode."

His friend didn't need to be told twice. Lee swung around to face him; his dark eyes bright with excitement. "That was her, wasn't it? The one you're always watching?"

"I'm not _always _watching her." Neji replied gruffly. That made him sound like a stalker.

Lee rolled his eyes. "Please, Neji, you are constantly being distracted by her. Look, even now. I am trying to talk to you and all you can do is think of her."

That wasn't true. Neji just seemed to have the uncanny ability to know when she was nearby. That intriguing, dark haired beauty that seemed to leave him speechless. Their interaction at the entrance of the café just now had been their first, and Neji—like an idiot—couldn't even say more than two words to her. He finally had a chance—an _excuse_—to talk to her, and he turned into a simpleton. _Good going, birdbrain. _He scolded himself.

Fingers snapped in front of his face, and Neji focused once again on his long-time friend. "If you like her that much, why have you not talked to her sooner?" He asked, amused. Neji was always so unflappable and sure of himself, but when it came to this girl, he, for once in his life, didn't know what to do.

Neji fixed his friend with a look. "And say what, exactly? 'I've been watching you from afar since last year when you participated in the campus sporting event. I fell for you at first sight, with your auburn hair flowing in the wind behind you as you ran with reckless abandon, your melodic laugh drifting over to where I stood on the sidelines. My eyes were transfixed by you from that day onwards, and I have been unable to look away since.'" Neji scoffed. "Really, Lee, she would think me a ridiculous fool at the least, not to mention a crazed stalker."

It took a few moments for his bushy browed friend to respond, transfixed as he was with Neji's words. "Yes!" He said after a few seconds of deliberating. "Say exactly that to her! I almost fell for your words just now. I am sure she will also. You should speak that way more often, Neji."

The line moved forward again, giving Neji an excuse to turn away from his friend. He shook his head, eyes rolling at Lee's words. "Don't be ridiculous, Lee. She would more likely punch me in the face than accept my declaration of affection."

"Fine, fine." Lee held out placating hands in front of him, surrendering. "But, you have finally, officially met her. You now have an excuse to talk to her the next time you run into her."

And yet, that was the problem. Neji _never_ ran into her. They did not share any classes, and it wasn't very often that he was even able to catch a glimpse of her from a distance. This meeting in the café was rare indeed, and he was afraid he would not get this chance again. But, perhaps…

Neji reached the front of the line before he had the chance to ask Lee the question on his lips. He gave his order to the employee, paid, and stepped to the side to wait for Lee.

"Lee," Neji turned to his friend once he had completed his order. "The party tonight, are you still going?"

A grin threatened to spill across Lee's lips, but he kept it at bay. No point scaring off his poor friend before he had even finished voicing his thoughts. "Yes, of course."

"And… everyone will be there?" Neji knew he wasn't fooling anyone, but his stupid pride kept him from asking the question he truly wanted to ask.

"I suppose so. Since Naruto is holding it, everyone who's anyone will be there." Lee sighed at seeing Neji's sceptical expression. "Don't look so unconvinced. The girls said they would be there tonight, did they not?"

They did, but that was not a guarantee that _she _would be there. Neji despised parties, but perhaps she enjoyed them. Maybe, if he had gone to some parties, he might have had the chance to meet her earlier. If this was the only chance he had to see her again—especially soon, before she forgot who he was—then Neji would just have to suffer through one night of ridiculously loud music and unpalatable beer.

A defeated sigh escaped the young man's lips and he drew his hand to his temple, rubbing the sudden headache that had appeared. "Fine, I will go tonight. But if she is not there, I will be leaving immediately."

This time, Lee couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face, and he clasped his hands in excitement. "Excellent! I am sure you will not regret it."

The barista called their names and they stepped forward to collect their drinks, before making their way out of the café and onto their next destination. Neji heaved a sigh. He just hoped the evening didn't turn into a disaster.

.

.

.

The house was crowded.

And _loud._ Too loud.

Tenten felt instant regret at coming along, but she knew she couldn't leave. Sakura had driven them and Tenten didn't have another option to get back to campus.

Her eyes scanned the room, filled with young adults gyrating to the pulsating music. Some were huddled together in corners of the room, needing to shout in order to be heard above the din. _Ah yes, how romantic this is. _Tenten thought sarcastically. How this was considered by anyone to be fun was beyond her.

An elbow dug into her side and she turned her gaze to meet Sakura's beside her. The pinkette huffed. "Let's go in. Maybe after you've had a drink or two, you might start loosening up."

"I doubt it." Tenten mumbled to herself, but she obediently followed her friend further into the house. Tenten wasn't planning on drinking tonight anyway. Her plan was to wait until Sakura and Ino left her to find their boyfriend's—which she knew they would, despite their protests that they would stay with her all night—before finding someplace quiet where she could chill until her friends were ready to go.

"Remember," Ino said seriously, making sure to give Tenten a pointed look. "Don't accept anything from a guy you don't know. Hell, you should only accept something that Sakura or myself hand you, okay? And if someone asks you to go upstairs and escape the noise, decline." She cocked her head to the side, finger tapping her chin in thought. "What else, what else?"

Tenten laughed at her friend's concern. "I'll be fine, Ino. I may be inexperienced at parties, but I'm not stupid."

As they moved their way through the house towards the kitchen, Tenten took the opportunity to scan the room one more time.

"Looking for someone in particular?" Ino asked, a knowing glint in her eye.

"What? No, of course not." Tenten's cheeks burned and she resisted the urge to cover them with her hands. Had she been that obvious?

Her friends laughed at her discomfort and Sakura linked her arm through hers, bumping her hip playfully. "Don't worry. If we see him, we'll tell you straight away."

Was it possible to instantaneously combust from embarrassment? "S-see who? I don't know what you're talking about." Lies, lies, lies. Maybe if she told enough of them, they would stop pestering her.

"Mhm," Ino cocked an eyebrow at her and gave her body a once-over. "That's why you dressed up tonight."

She couldn't deny that. Tenten wore the only dressed she owned—a mid-thigh length, emerald green halter neck. She only possessed the dress because Sakura and Ino had insisted that every girl needed at least one dress in their wardrobe. The dress, along with the fact that her hair was loose tonight, tumbling halfway down her back in thick, dark waves, was the evidence that she had, indeed, dressed up.

"Don't look now, Tenten, but Lee and his extremely handsome friend just walked through the door." Tenten knew she made a mistake as soon as she spun around, eyes zeroing in on the empty entrance. Her friends burst out laughing and Tenten's face flamed in response.

"Don't _do _that to me!" She hissed, turning back around to glare at her friends. A hand came up to her chest and she took a deep breath, trying to still her erratic heart.

"Sorry." Sakura looked very _un_apologetic in her apology and Tenten wondered if her friends brought her here just to tease her.

Ino looked past Tenten, her eyes widening. "Don't freak out Tenten, but it looks like someone is heading your way."

"No way. I am _not_ falling for that again." Tenten crossed her arms over her chest, refusing to be the butt of another joke.

"No, I'm serious." Ino insisted. "He just walked in and is heading your way. Looks pretty determined too."

She was tempted. Oh, she was _so _tempted to look behind her, but Tenten didn't want to be made a fool again. It wasn't often that she took an interest in someone—especially not so soon after meeting that someone—and her friends knew that, which was why they were having so much fun teasing her.

Tenten's body was humming with a nervous energy at the thought that she might see him tonight. She didn't know what she would do or how she would act if she came face to face with him. And her two friends weren't helping.

Maybe she _would _go get a drink, after all.

She turned on her heel, intending to make her way to the kitchen, but instead—for the second time that day—she found her face buried in a hard chest as she ran into someone.

* * *

**Thank you for your kind words regarding the first chapter. Since the reviews have been positive so far, I've decided to add to the story. I'm not sure how long it will be - it might only be one more chapter after this - but I hope you enjoy it no matter how long (or short) it is.**

**I absolutely love writing in Neji's POV, and I hope you enjoyed learning his thoughts about Tenten. I'm currently working on the next chapter, so please look forward to that.**


	3. Chapter 3

Neji's first thought was that this ridiculously maddening woman seemed to like his chest, having had run into it twice in one day. His second thought, as she stared up at him with wide, surprised eyes, lips parted slightly in shock, was that he very much wanted to kiss her.

He had seen her as soon as he entered the house, his eyes finding her instantly in the crowded room. She looked stunning in that emerald green dress, her bare shoulders exposed to the night air. She normally wore her hair up, but it cascaded down her back tonight, thick and luxurious. Beautiful.

Up close, her chocolate brown eyes seemed to reflect the green in her dress, making them almost mesmerising in their appearance. Neji hadn't had the chance to admire them earlier that day, but he noted now just how lovely her eyes were.

One of her friends cleared their throat, startling the couple from their trance. Neji took a step back, releasing the arm he hadn't even realized had been around her. She flushed a pretty pink, eyes darting around the room in embarrassment.

"It's good to see that you were able to make it tonight." The pink haired friend, Sakura, said, a sly smile on her lips.

"We were just about to get a drink from the kitchen." The other friend, Ino, added. "Would you like something, Neji?"

"No, thank you." His reply was instant, eyes glancing briefly to the blonde before settling back onto his auburn-haired beauty.

"We'll leave you to it, then." Sakura sent a wink towards her chocolate eyed friend, causing he flush to deepen. The two women walked away, arms linked and heads close together, their giggles floating back to the couple's ears.

Neji cleared his throat and turned to the girl beside him. He leant forward, his lips close to her ear so he wouldn't have to shout. "We haven't had the chance to be properly introduced yet." Not that he needed an introduction; Neji had learnt her name months ago. But he thought it would be unwise to call her by her name when he wasn't supposed to know her. "I'm Neji."

She seemed to blush a lot in his presence. She did so now from his proximity, and Neji found he quite liked the reactions he received from her. Neji had to give her credit though; despite her embarrassment, she didn't back away from him. "Tenten."

Neji had to play it cool—he couldn't let on that he had been infatuated with her for the past year, or he would surely scare her off before he had the chance to get to know her. And he dearly wanted to get to know her.

"Would you like a drink?"

.

.

.

Tenten shook her head, still unable to quite meet his eyes. "I'm okay, thanks." Ino's words echoed in her head, warning her from taking drinks from strange men. Not that Neji was a strange man—she trusted that he wouldn't do anything untoward. She just didn't think that alcohol would be a good idea, not when her brain was already addled enough around him.

"Would you like to go somewhere quieter?" He asked.

Now Ino's other words drifted to her mind, about not following someone to a dark corner if they asked. But, what else could she do? She wanted to talk to him, and they couldn't talk in this raucous environment.

He must have noticed her hesitation, because he took a step back, creating space between the two of them. "Or," he had to raise his voice to be heard, now that he was further away. "We could talk here?" By the expression on his face, Tenten gathered that wasn't something he particularly wanted to do.

She shook her head, a smile gracing her lips. "Let's go somewhere a bit quieter. I can hardly think in here."

The relief on his face was instant, and Tenten laughed softly. Her laugh turned into a squeak when he reached down to take her hand before manoeuvring her through the crowd and out the front door. He found a relatively quiet spot on the lawn by the house and sat down, pulling her down to sit beside him.

She expected him to say something, but he was quiet for some time and Tenten noticed he was tapping his foot anxiously. She thought for the first time that maybe she wasn't the only one feeling a little shy in this situation. That notion sent a thrill through her—the knowledge that _she_ had the ability to make someone nervous.

"Do… do you usually come to these parties?" She asked, deciding that the silence had gone on long enough.

He shook his head in response. "No, never. I normally stay away from these sorts of gatherings."

"Oh?" She wondered why he had decided to come tonight, then. "So do I. I'm not really a fan of parties, but my friends insisted I came along tonight and have some fun."

He looked at her, an eyebrow raised in question. "Are you having fun?"

Tenten wondered if he realized he was still holding her hand. She thought he would have let go after they had settled on the grass, but he kept it firmly in his, his large hand almost swallowing her small one. "We just recently arrived." She replied. She leant closer to him and stage whispered, "Between you and me, though, I was waiting until the girls left me so I could find a quiet place to relax."

"Well then," Tenten thought he looked satisfied with her answer. "It seems neither of us are fans of this kind of crowd." Neji cleared his throat, shifting into a more comfortable position on the grass. "If you would like to leave early, I can take you home. Are you staying at the dorms on campus?"

Tenten knew she should be alarmed by his offer—if she wasn't supposed to follow someone to a dark room of the house, she definitely shouldn't be accepting an offer of a ride home from someone who was practically a stranger to her.

"Thank you for the offer, Neji, but I think I should wait until my friends are ready to go home. But," she added quickly when she felt his hand loosen on hers. She gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I would be happy to stay here for a while, talking with you."

.

.

.

Neji had to keep from grinning like an idiot. She wanted to stay there, with him, talking. Not only that, but she hadn't tried to extract her hand from his, and he was glad of that. It felt right, having her sitting so close to him, their hands joined together, as they talked about their majors and the classes they were taking. Neji learnt that she had been into sports since she was young and had tried a multitude of activities—archery being her personal favourite. That didn't surprise him. She seemed like she would be good at any sport she tried, having the athletic frame that she did.

"Were you on the track team in high school?" He asked her, curiosity getting the better of him.

She had been looking at the ground in front of her, her legs tucked to the side, but she glanced at him now. "How did you know?"

"You are a fast runner, so I thought you must have been part of a team at school."

Her eyebrows furrowed and she tilted her head to one side questioningly. "How do you know I'm a fast runner?"

Too late, Neji realized his mistake. Of course he wasn't supposed to know! He wasn't meant to know her at all. Neji racked his brain for a way to get out of this, but decided that the truth would be for the best. If they did end up getting to know more about each other after tonight, she would no doubt learn about it anyway.

"I may have seen you run during last year's sporting event." His voice was hesitant, unsure how she would take this revelation. Would she think him a creep, now that she knew he had known her for longer than just this one day?

"You… saw me?" It seemed she didn't yet understand the ramifications of what he had said. Neji forced his gaze on her—despite wanting to look anywhere but. He needed to see her reaction. "You saw me last year, during the race?"

He took a deep breath. Then replied, "yes."

"And you still remember me? Wow, you must have a good memory." Tenten seemed genuinely impressed with him, and Neji wasn't sure if he should be relieved to have an out—he didn't need to confess to having liked her for the last year after all. But, despite the possibility of her rejecting him, he _wanted _her to know. He didn't want to start this relationship, if it _were _to become a relationship—and he dearly hoped it would—with a lie.

He decided to be bold. He was Neji Hyuga after all—he had grown up being confident in himself and his abilities—so surely, he could manage to find the courage to properly tell this enchanting woman beside him how he felt about her.

"You are quite hard to forget." He stated simply, his eyes watching for a reaction.

And what a reaction it was.

Her breath caught, lips parting and chocolate green eyes widening at his admission. Tenten looked stunning under the light of the full moon, staring at him in disbelief.

"Surely not." She finally breathed, after what seemed like a lifetime of silence between them. "I am easily forgotten."

Neji shook his head firmly. "Quite the opposite, actually. I have been enchanted with you ever since that day."

If she wasn't so shocked, Neji thought she might have snorted in derision. Instead, a strangled, choking noise sounded from her throat and she turned a charming shade of red. "You're lying. How could _you_ possibly be enchanted with _me_?"

"How could I not, Tenten? You captivate me."

.

.

.

Captivating? _Her?_

He was definitely playing a game with her. A cruel, twisted game to try and win her heart.

She had never been called captivating in her life! Nor enchanting, for that matter. Those words were reserved for people like Sakura and Ino. Not her.

"You don't believe me." Neji's words were soft as he stared at her, his pearl coloured eyes even more wonderous in the light of the full moon.

She didn't know she was shaking her head until his free hand reached up to cup the side of her face, stilling the motion. Her breath caught again. No one had _ever _touched her with such affection. Surely, this must be some sort of joke. Right?

"I-I'm not captivating. Or enchanting." Her voice was barely a whisper.

"You are to me." He replied, his voice just as soft.

Surely not. This man—this beautiful, kind man—who she had known for less than twenty-four hours, was confessing his attraction to _her_? "But… but why? I'm not feminine. I barely wear makeup. I basically live in sweatpants when I'm not in class. I'm a plain, boring tomboy. What could be so enchanting about that?"

His eyes turned sad, as if her words had hurt him somehow. He dragged his thumb across her cheek, caressing it in such a gentle way that it made Tenten want to cry. "You have no idea just how beautiful you are, do you?" Neji moved to grab a stray lock of her hair, rubbing it between his fingers. His gazed reached up to meet hers again, eyes earnest.

"I'm really not. You must have disillusioned yourself that day. Maybe you were taken in by my competitive spirit." How was she supposed to think straight when he was looking at her like that?

"I assure you; my feelings are real. Tenten, I have been quite besotted with you since that day, and I would very much like to get to know you better, if you would let me?"

If she would let him? Tenten didn't think she could refuse, even if she wanted to. Neji was the first man to look at her with such tenderness, as if he really, truly cared for her. She forced herself to hold his gaze, searching for any hint of deceit but finding none. Finally, she spoke. "If… if you are okay with someone like me."

The grin that spread across Neji's face took her breath away. It was beautiful. Radiant. Mesmerising in its brilliance. And it was all for _her._ He leant forward, finally letting her hand go so he could hold the other side of her face. "I would like nothing less. You are perfect for me, Tenten."

She smiled at him in return, wondering if she had ever been as happy as she was in this moment. As Neji moved closer, their breath mingling briefly before he planted a soft, sweet kiss to her lips, Tenten thought that, maybe, there _was_ somebody out there for her after all.

* * *

**And that's it! I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter. I wanted to switch back and forth so you could see both of their thoughts and feelings. My one-shot turned into a three-shot, and I thank everyone that encouraged it to keep going.**

**I LOVE hearing your thoughts on my stories, so if you enjoyed it, please leave a review about what you thought, and if there was something in particular you enjoyed. It would make my day! ^_^**


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